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Check out 16 top performers from the 2024 Sophie Cunningham Classic

columbia daily tribune
·6 min read
Rock Bridge's Jayda Porter (35) drives to hoop & draws the foul from Booker T Washington's Bailey Braxton (33) at Columbia College on Jan. 5, 2024, in Columbia, Mo.
Rock Bridge's Jayda Porter (35) drives to hoop & draws the foul from Booker T Washington's Bailey Braxton (33) at Columbia College on Jan. 5, 2024, in Columbia, Mo.

Sunday concluded the end of the Sophie Cunningham Classic. Columbia saw some excellent players and teams from both the state of Missouri and surrounding states square off at Columbia College for three days, which included six Boone County teams.

Here are 16 players that stood out over the weekend.

Jayda Porter and Mari Miller (Rock Bridge)

Rock Bridge opened the Sophie Cunningham Classic on Friday with a 68-51 victory over a good Booker T. Washington team that features class of 2025 Baylor commit Marcayla Johnson. While Johnson was named game MVP for the Hornets, the Bruins MVP and undoubtedly the most dominant player for both teams was Jayda Porter. As only a sophomore, Porter scored 29 points on 11 of 21 shooting, including four of five from behind the arc displaying versatility on the offensive end. She also grabbed eight rebounds while collecting four steals, three blocks, and a pair of assists in the Bruins' 17-point victory. On Sunday, in the Bruins 51-50 loss to the Link Academy, Porter once again scored in double-digits with 15 points.

Rock Bridge's Mari Miller (31) shoots the mid range jumper shot of the Booker T Washington defense at Columbia College on Jan. 5, 2024, in Columbia, Mo.
Rock Bridge's Mari Miller (31) shoots the mid range jumper shot of the Booker T Washington defense at Columbia College on Jan. 5, 2024, in Columbia, Mo.

Porter's teammate, Mari Miller, scored 20 points on seven of 11 shooting while collecting five rebounds and five steals in the loss on Sunday. In the winning effort two days prior, Miller tallied 15 points, four rebounds, three steals, and three assists. Both Miller and Porter were the only two players to score in double-figures for the Bruins over their past two games.

Gabriel Troy-Mebane (Link Academy)

Rock Bridge didn’t end with an undefeated record in the Sophie Cunningham Classic because of the Link Academy’s Gabriel Troy-Mebane. She didn’t lead the team in scoring as Lailah Hatcher tallied 14 points, but Troy-Mebane hit the most important shot. Following a Rock Bridge turnover with just seconds to play, Troy-Mebane splashed a corner 3-pointer at the buzzer, giving her team a stunning victory over the Bruins. It wrapped up a 13-point and four-steal performance in the final game of the three-day showcase.

Tayla Robinson and Jaleah Brookins (Battle)

Battle's Tayla Robinson (3) fights for the defensive rebound with Quincy Notre Dame's Jada Brown (21) at Columbia College on Jan. 7, 2024, in Columbia, Mo.
Battle's Tayla Robinson (3) fights for the defensive rebound with Quincy Notre Dame's Jada Brown (21) at Columbia College on Jan. 7, 2024, in Columbia, Mo.

Battle and Quincy played perhaps the most exciting game of the Sophie Cunningham Classic as both teams battled to a 38-38 tie in regulation before the Spartans pulled away in overtime by a score of 42-38. Tayla Robinson came in huge for the Spartans as she went four of five from behind the arc on her way to a 16-point performance and game MVP honors.

Jaleah Brookins came in key late on both ends of the floor. She gave Battle the lead for good in overtime with a bucket and with time ticking away made a huge defensive play that led to the game-clinching free throws for Boo Anderson. Brookins finished with a double-double of 10 points to go along with 14 rebounds. She's not the tallest, but her effort in the post makes her a dominant player in the paint.

Ashtyn Klusmeyer (Hickman)

Hickman’s Ashtyn Klusmeyer (21) eyes her foul shot at Columbia College on Jan. 7, 2024, in Columbia, Mo.
Hickman’s Ashtyn Klusmeyer (21) eyes her foul shot at Columbia College on Jan. 7, 2024, in Columbia, Mo.

There’s no doubt who the most efficient player on the floor was between Hickman and Vashon. In the Kewpies' 68-37 victory over the defending state champions, Ashtyn Klusmeyer led the way, earning game MVP honors. She scored 19 points while tying Carolina Eastman for the second-most rebounds at five; Jayla Griffith had eight. Klusmeyer was also perfect from the free throw line with five attempts and five makes.

Jaliya Davis (Blue Valley North)

Jaliya Davis showcased her talent in a 57-50 win over Lutheran St. Charles. On 12 of 16 shooting, all inside the arc, she recorded 26 or 52% of the Mustangs' scoring. She also grabbed 12 rebounds, two assists and a steal. She has a range of offers from elite programs, including South Carolina and Mississippi State. Against the Link Academy on Saturday, she was once again dominant, this time scoring 28 points, which included going 14 of 17 from the free throw line.

Navaeh Caffey and Zoe Best (Incarnate Word)

Incarnate Word won both of its matchups on Friday and Saturday. The Red Knights defeated Park Hill South 70-45 and Bartlett (Tennessee) by a score of 58-45. Both games resulted in two different MVPs for the team. Against Park Hill South, Zoe Best scored 18 points while dishing out five assists. On the defensive end, Best collected five steals while grabbing five of her six rebounds on the defensive glass.

Against Barlett, Navaeh Caffey, who possesses offers from the likes of Michigan, Missouri, and Oklahoma, tallied 16 points on an efficient 58% shooting. She also collected seven rebounds in the winning effort. Incarnate Word is one of the most dangerous teams in the state as it is looking for its fourth straight state title.

Emma Fischer (Harrisburg)

The first game on Saturday saw Harrisburg take on and defeat North Shelby by a score of 45-38, where the Bulldogs used a 17-5 fourth quarter to leave with a seven-point victory. The star for Harrisburg was Emma Fischer. In 29 minutes on the floor, she recorded a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds, with seven coming on the offensive end for the Bulldogs.

Adayln Koelling (Helias Catholic)

Helias outscored Park Hill South 18-9 in the fourth quarter to come away with a 59-39 victory. The game MVP for the Lady Crusaders was Adalyn Koelling. An All-State player and Murray State commit, Koelling scored 22 points for Helias, which led all scorers on the floor. She was money from 3-point land and hit seven of her five 3-point attempts.

Chantrel Clayton and Kierra Burns (Vashon)

It came in a loss, but it's hard to ignore what Vashon’s Chantrel Clayton did against Bishop Meige. In 31 minutes, she collected 33 points against the Stags while her teammate Kiera Burns tallied 20 points. Clayton shot over 50% from the field, including going six of 12 from behind the arc. This also went with five steals and assists. Burns went nine of 18 from the field with all her points coming inside the paint.

Jordan Speiser and Kennedy Stowers (Lutheran St. Charles)

Lutheran St. Charles beat Booker T. Washington 78-44 on Saturday. Both Jordan Speiser and Kennedy Stowers led the Cougars. With 27 points that included a trio of 3-pointers, Speiser also collected eight rebounds, two assists, and a steal. Stowers went an efficient 10 of 12 from the field on her way to collecting 20 points with seven rebounds and five assists.

Asa Fanning (Moberly)

Moberly’s Asa Fanning only needed 10 shots and two free throws to get to the 20-point mark. It led her to score 21 points that went along with four rebounds, two blocks, and two steals. Moberly defeated Centralia by a score of 69-46.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: 2024 Sophie Cunningham Classic's top performers